Immigrant's Entrepreneurship for Socio-Economic Co.. (IMMENSITY)
Immigrant's Entrepreneurship for Socio-Economic Cohesion and Improvement of Living Standards
(IMMENSITY)
Start date: Apr 30, 2006,
End date: Feb 27, 2008
PROJECT
FINISHED
The need for socio-economic inclusion of immigrants and minorities and the reduction of migration waves are challenges widely recognised throughout the EU. In the IMMENSITY project host countries and the immigrants' countries of origin are involved, because both have to face the consequences connected with immigration. One problem is that, compared to the rest of the population, the share of self-employment among economic immigrants is very low due to a lack in adequate skills. For example in Greece 25% of the people registered in the Social Insurance Institute are economic immigrants, repatriates and refugees. Of them, less than 0.5% are entrepreneurs. This signifies a crucial imbalance with impact on the whole local, regional and national economy. Similar figures can be found in other regions participating in the project. IMMENSITY aims at overcoming this imbalance by stimulating entrepreneurship with immigrants. One characteristic feature of the IMMENSITY project is the social and economic inclusion of legal economic immigrants and repatriates in host countries, with a specific focus on women. This should be achieved by stimulating their entrepreneurship and self-employment potential as well as by improving the standard of living in the countries of origin through the promotion and support of bilateral trade. Expected Results: IMMENSITYs main activities include the formulation of strategic and operational plans, the establishment of new pilot structures (Immigrant Entrepreneurs Reception Offices) and strengthening of links to the countries of origins of the immigrants. Among others, one long-term objective of IMMENSITY is to support immigrants in re-establishing businesses in their home countries. This will be achieved primarily by the establishment of Immigrant Entrepreneurs Reception Offices which will foster the beneficiaries entrepreneurship and self-employment initiatives and will build upon their cultural affinity and established contacts to the countries of origin. Among others, the project aims for the following results: - Gathering of empirical knowledge of the target groups profile (skills, entrepreneurial capacity and social needs in five regions), - Development of the immigrants and repatriates entrepreneurship and self-employment potentials through pilot structures providing online/offline services, e.g. information, consulting, training and business mentoring in the host countries, - Promotion of bilateral trade between countries of origin and host regions as a way to improve the quality of life in the countries of origin, - The carefully planned return of some immigrants to their countries of origin and the re-establishment of businesses in their homelands.
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